Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A Neapolitan secret society organized about 1820, notorious for practicing violence and blackmail.
- n. An unscrupulous, clandestine group.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A secret organization formed in the kingdom of Naples under the Bourbon government, first publicly known about 1820, partly political and partly of the nature of a standing vigilance committee, which exercised great power at times among the lower classes, settling disputes and acting as referee, punishing real or imaginary crimes, and exacting payment for all such services. It became guilty of many violent acts in the interest of private vengeance or avarice. Although for political reasons tolerated under Ferdinand II. (1830-59), it was attacked by the government of Francis II., in revenge for which it united with the opponents of the Bourbons and aided in the overthrow of that dynasty. At present the organization is out of favor, and, though retaining a nominal existence, is of no importance as a body.
Wiktionary
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. A secret organization formed at Naples, Italy, early in the 19th century, and used partly for political ends and partly for practicing extortion, violence, etc.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a secret society in Naples notorious for violence and blackmail
Etymologies
- Italian, perhaps from camorra, a kind of smock, said to have been worn by members of the society. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“Camorra is a Spanish word in current usage, meaning a ` quarrel. ”
“The Camorra is a network of clans that run protection rackets, prostitution rings and, more recently, the drug trade in Naples and the region around it.”
“In the 1820s he said an angel appeared to him and later guided had to this hill, called Camorra, where he said he discovered golden tablets detailing how Christ visited an ancient civilization in the Americas.”
“Is there a secret society of colliers, an English Camorra, which is capable of destroying both train and passengers?”
“Sylvia adds that Michele Zagaria is the head of one of the bloodiest clans of the Neapolitan mafia called the Camorra and they've been involved in an enormous number of illegal activity.”
“D'Avino, part of the Naples Mafia known as the Camorra, had been on the run for a decade and now faces 20 years in prison.”
“Gomorrah takes its punning title-the Neapolitan crime syndicate is called the Camorra-from Roberto Saviano's 2006 bestseller, an impressive feat of first-person journalism by a 26-year-old writer, now under police protection.”
“The real-life Neapolitan crime organization, known as the Camorra, is depicted here as a hovering presence above the locals, dropping down into ordinary lives only ...”
“(ANSA) - Rome, September 26 - A Facebook group inviting young people to join the Camorra is the latest mafia fan club to pop up on the popular social networking site, web observers said Monday.”
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